Radiation detectors which utilize thermopiles, pyroelectric devices and other radiation detectors, to detect the heat flux from target surfaces have been used in various applications. An indication of the temperature of a target surface may be provided as a function of the measured heat flux. One such application is the testing of electrical equipment. Another application has been in the scanning of cutaneous tissue to locate injured subcutaneous regions. An injury results in increased blood flow which in turn results in a higher surface temperature. Yet another application is that of tympanic temperature measurement as an alternative to traditional sublingual thermometers. A true tympanic device relies on a measurement of the temperature of the tympanic membrane in the ear of an animal or human by detection of infrared radiation. The term tympanic device has also been applied to devices which measure temperature of the tympanic membrane area including the ear canal or just the ear canal.